558 
Agriculture of North Wales. 
Derwen : and from that to Eshvs Vacb, on the river Conwav, its 
north-western extremity, it forms one of the most extensive and 
dreary wastes in the principality, being from 25 to 30 miles in 
length, and of various breadths from 5 to 10 miles. It chiefly con- 
sists of shale, besides grey mountain rock, or semi-indurated whin, 
and flags for flooring and tombstones On the western side 
this argillaceous range is intersected by narrow veins of grey 
limestone, which run transversely to the direction of the range, 
in their usual course from north-east to south-west.* Heath or 
linsr is the general covering: of this vast tract. The hollows and 
flats abound with good depths of excellent peat for fuel, &c." 
The Hiraethog range of Mr. Davis coincides with the line which 
I have pre%iously described as bounding the Denbighshire upper 
silurian formation ; but the line drawn in this paper includes a 
small tract of country which Mr. Davis's does not, viz., the country- 
included in a line drawn from Corwen to Cricor Mawr, by the 
base of Cyrin y Brain to Chirk, thence to Llansaintfraid on the 
Ceriog by Moel Ferna to Corwen. The small section of hilly 
country just described possesses considerably greater capabilities 
than that described by Mr. Davis as the Hiraethog range, the 
vale through which the mail-coach runs from Llangollenj to Cor- 
wen in many places being highly fertile; and so also on the 
parallel and transverse valleys included in this latter district, 
which gradually becomes less luxuriant as we approach Cricor 
Mawr, Corwen, and Moel Ferna. Some of the hills are cultivated 
to their summits, whilst on such hills as cannot profitably be 
brought into cultivation, either from the scantiness of the soil or 
the number and size of the stones, the herbage is of a better 
description than that on the Hiraethog range ; it is remarkable 
also for the geftcral absence of peat. There are certainly many 
spots where it would be advantageous to remove the heath by 
grubbing and burning ; the labour and capital employed in such 
an undertaking would be profitably invested. I may allude, at 
a future part of this paper, to the great difference in the quality of 
the soil of the southern portion of the Denbigh upper silurian 
formation and the Hiraethog or northern portion. 'J'he Hirae- 
thog range still deserves the description given of it by Mr. Davis; 
nevertheless there are large portions of the same now in a com- 
plete state of nature, on which capital and industry could be most 
profitably applied. The luxuriant growth of the heath, fern, and 
foxglove in many places, are clear indications of the riches that are 
in store for the first adventurer who sliall attempt to break up 
this almost desert waste. I saw in some places patches of deep 
* Probably identical willi the Glyn Diffwys, Rhiwlas, and Bala lime- 
stones, to be here;il"ter alluded t 
t Tl'c V ale of Llangollen is included in litis disfiict. 
